How to Write a Unique Best Man Speech

Mar 2, 2018

So you’re looking to give your audience a unique experience with your best man speech? I like your style. Why follow with convention when you can deliver a unique best man speech that will last long in the memory of all who witness it. All you need is a little bit of inspiration to get you on your way, right?

In this article you can find some inspirational ideas on how to deliver your Best Man speech in your own unique way. A chance to break with the norm and leave your Bride, Groom and the rest of the reception guests, awed at your originality and talent. From song and dance numbers to specific themes, the guide is here to help you make your speech stand very much out from the crowd.

Develop a Theme for Your Unique Best Man Speech

Is the groom a movie buff? Maybe he’s a motor head, or football nut instead. If there is a strong passion that he is known for, or perhaps the both the bride and groom share, then there’s an opportunity to develop a theme around this and create a truly unique best man speech. You can see an example based purely around movies by clicking on the speech download button later in this article.

A good technique that you can use to incorporate a theme is by using what’s known as ‘the callback’. A callback happens when the speaker refers to an earlier joke or idea that they spoke about earlier in the speech, one or more times. In the example, having exposed the groom as being a secret user of tanning machines you might round up by saying:

“And finally, if Marc returns from his honeymoon looking healthy and tanned don’t assume it’s all because of the Arabian sun as I gather the girls over at Tangos Tanning Parlour have donated a gift voucher to the value of his usual session – 10 minutes on a stand up – to their most valued customer!”

Sing!

If you’re game enough, and talented enough, composing and singing a song is a sure fire way to generate a knock-out blow of a unique best man speech. Taking a well-known melody and retrofitting lyrics that tick all the boxes of jokes, thanks and sentiment is a proven formula for success.

If you’re feeling really adventurous and want to reach for the stars then you can even have visuals that move in time to the music. This kind of multi-sensory experience is usually the reserve of multi-platinum selling artists so make no mistake this is an ambitious undertaking and will require hours and hours of preparation if you want to nail it on the day.

You’ll see a number of good examples on YouTube but the pic of the bunch is undoubtedly Tom Fletcher’s wedding speech which has racked up an incredible 15 million views and counting. Taking nothing away from Tom’s endeavours, for those who are unfamiliar with his work, he was in a band called McFly and as such has the advantage of being a singer songwriter in the first instance. He most likely will have called in a few favours from his production pals to orchestrate the very polished visuals.

Probably a more realistic benchmark to aim for the average punter is the clip below which is executed wonderfully by a gent who clearly has a talent for songwriting and humour. Take it away good sir…

Pull off the Surprise to End all Surprises

Of all the recommendations as to how to make your best man speech original this one will pay the biggest reward but make no mistake it’s also the toughest by a long shot. This is about delivering something on the day that you would otherwise think is out of reach. Impossible even. Think big, and then think even bigger because that what this path involves should you decide to go down it.

At this point, allow me to point you in the direction of an example to illustrate the point. Louise was a huge fan of singing sensation and UK national treasure Gary Barlow her whole life. She’d bought all the albums, been to his gigs and bought more than her fair share of t-shirts. Imagine her reaction then when after more than a year of campaigning by her maid of honour on Twitter, the man himself actually shows up at her wedding! It’s rare but it can happen. Get your thinking cap on about what the groom REALLY wants and draw up an action plan to get just that.

As celebs have cottoned on the idea that these kinds of stunts significantly spike the their YouTube numbers they are becoming more and more willing to take part – see this article.

Do an Audacious Stunt for a Truly Unique Best Man Speech

For the most part this requires some full on film production and story telling that doesn’t just supplement the speech it IS the speech. One way to set this up is that the written speech has been left behind somewhere, rousing gasps from the audience and exchanged looks of horror. In reality it’s a bridge to leave the room and switch on a TV or projector to showcase your film making talents.

This is where the opportunity comes to step outside the confines of the reception room in to a land of make believe where anything is possible. Of course the reality of what’s possible will be limited to your imagination, but more practically time & budget.

Below are two examples of this in action, the first an example of a well thought through comedic script, the second a high production value piece of action footage that has a professional gloss, and most likely an associated price tag. Now that’s a unique best man speech!

Interact With the Audience

TV shows play on live voting all the time so why not a best mans speech? When done well this can really get the audience engaged and offer up unusual ways to get some laughs without incriminating the groom.

The biggest opportunities present themselves around the centre piece which typically involves embarrassing stories about the groom. In this section the audience are asked to guess the outcome of a story, or an unknown fact about the betrothed. Where the opportunity for comedy comes in, is around the alternative options which can be completely out there. In a sense it’s like Mr & Mrs but on a grander scale.

Voting can be as simple as holding up colour coded cards much like the TV show Ready, Steady Cook or if you’re feeling flush you can get Who Wants to be a Millionaire style voting pads.

Do a Live Performance

This one will require co-operation and willing from other members of the wedding party. At a given signal within the speech known only to those participating, there is an impromptu but choreographed performance. Typically this has tended to be the reserve of the evening entertainment and consistently goes down a storm. With the right planning this can weaved in to the speech itself. If you want to get really creative, turn the whole damn thing in to a musical. Want to see how well it goes down when done well? Check this out…

Get Your How to Write a Unique Best Man Speech Download Here

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